The stiffness and lower leg protection a pair of motocross or adventure boots provide is something I have come to value on riding trips.
Yet they still need to be comfortable to walk in because, while I am not going to use them as a hiking boot, an adventure trip always has places worth a walk to investigate.
The Falco Avantour Evo boots fall into the adventure boot category – really striking looking boots made from brown leather with black sections on the heels, stretch panels, shift pad protection and buckles.
The boots are fastened with two replaceable aluminium buckles and a Velcro closure at the top.
The buckles have a two-stage fastening you need to push into place with two clicks. I didn’t realise this at first and was really irritated when the buckles kept coming undone. Annoyingly, every time I re-fastened them the buckle straps had worked loose and needed re-adjusting.
On two occasions an adjustable strap came away and fell to the ground, though thankfully on both occasions I spotted the strap on the car park floor before I rode off. Once I worked out the double-click fastening, I had no further problems.
The hinged ankle plate gives a good level of support and still allowed my ankle to flex as I moved around on the bike. The sole of the boot is stiff enough to be comfortable when standing up on the pegs.
The boots were also reasonably comfortable for the small distances I walked to get a better viewpoint during stops on my rides around New Zealand or when I took a walk around the world-famous bungee jumping centre at Kawarau Gorge.
The tread pattern isn’t very deep, which I didn’t notice as a problem when I was walking off the pavement, although it may be more of a problem on heavier surfaces.
Overall these are good looking and comfortable boots that kept me warm and dry when it rained.
Once I had mastered the clasp system these were good boots to live with. Warm, comfortable, stiff enough to give the confidence that they would protect my lower leg and flexible enough to walk for short distances.
Fit & Comfort
Like most Italian-made footwear be prepared to take one size larger that you would normally expect. The boots are very supportive and comfortable on a long day’s ride.
Protection
I will always prefer the stiffness of full-on motocross boots for outright protection, however, it must be said these are a good compromise, particularly as they are waterproof (unlike motocross boots).
Waterproofing
The boots weren’t severely weather tested during my time in NZ, but they did the job when it did rain.
Build quality
They look great and feel well made, surviving my 2000 miles in good condition.
Features
They have all the features I would expect from a boot of this quality and price range.